<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Rose of Sidney by NebraskaWildfire</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899133">Rose of Sidney</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebraskaWildfire/pseuds/NebraskaWildfire'>NebraskaWildfire</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Rose of Cimarron [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Alias Smith and Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:21:11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,455</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22899133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NebraskaWildfire/pseuds/NebraskaWildfire</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Old friends meet up once again.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Rose of Cimarron [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1550212</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Rose of Sidney</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They both just stared at the telegraph, disbelieving.</p><p>“You think it’s true this time?” Kid Curry asked his partner.</p><p>“Heck, Kid, who knows?”  Hannibal Heyes shook his head and then locked gazes with him.  “But we gotta go and see, don’t we?”</p><p>Curry nodded.  “I better go get the horses.”</p><p>“I’ll get the bags from the hotel,” Heyes agreed, as he looked at the telegraph one last time before he carefully folded it and stuffed it in his vest pocket.</p><p> </p><p>TO JOSHUA SMITH THADDEUS JONES TALL BUTTE, MONTANA.  WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR HAS FINALLY BEEN GRANTED.  BE IN CHEYENNE IN THREE DAYS.  MEET AT THE EXCELSIOR HOTEL.  SHERIFF LOM TREVORS PORTERVILLE, WYOMING.</p><p> </p><p>It was all so anti-climatic in the end.  The governor signed the amnesty documents, shook their hands, and wished them well.  He told them he hoped to never see them again, and turned to his assistant, ready for the next item on his agenda.</p><p>Lom took them to a saloon, the one at which they had celebrated their first successful train robbery, back in their younger and more stupid days.  They had barely gotten out of town then, before the law decided they might be worth pursuing.</p><p>After a couple of quiet toasts, Lom asked them, “Well, boys, what are your plans now?”</p><p>They looked at each other, still not believing that their luck had finally changed and that they really had their long awaited amnesty.</p><p>“Hell, Lom, never figured we’d really get it.”  The Kid just shook his head in disbelief.</p><p>Their old friend turned to Heyes.  “Well, you had to have thought about it.  I know your mind never stops.”</p><p>Heyes cleared his throat, took a deep drink of his beer, and looked seriously at Lom.  “I’ve thought all sorts of things, but never made any real plans.  After the one year became more, well, I figured there was no need.”</p><p>Lom looked from Heyes to Curry and back again.  “After all the work I was putting in, to accomplish this, you both had given up?”</p><p>“Not given up, Lom,” Heyes started.</p><p>“Just started to get more realistic,” the Kid concluded.</p><p>“You two discussed this?” Lom asked?</p><p>The partners looked at each other, an entire conversation happening, before Heyes replied.  “Nah, I think we both wanted to keep the dream alive for the other.”</p><p>The Kid just silently nodded.</p><p>“Need any deputies, Lom?”  Heyes’ face was covered by a sly smile.</p><p>“You boys would actually make excellent deputies, even sheriffs, eventually,” Lom looked at them both thoughtfully and regretfully.  “But not yet.  Gotta let some of the newness of those amnesty documents wear off.”</p><p>“Lom, you ever gonna stop telling us not yet?” the Kid smiled slightly and then stared into his beer.</p><p>Heyes was deep in thought, finishing his drink when Lom’s face lit up.  “Say, I have some other news for you two.  Kind of got shoved to the side, what with the amnesty and all.”</p><p>The partners looked up.</p><p>“You got a friend named Rose Cimarron?”  Lom asked.</p><p>The boys nodded and Lom continued.  “She sent me a note a while back, that she was now in Sidney, Nebraska.  Had opened a store and was looking for help.  I was supposed to let you two know you had jobs if you ever needed them.”</p><p>“Thanks, Lom,” Heyes replied.  “It’s nice to know where she settled, but I don’t see us as mercantile clerks.”</p><p>“Nah, boys, I don’t really either,” Lom replied.   “I thought I’d let you know though, since I sent her, well, someone else to help out.”  He almost looked embarrassed.  </p><p>“She’s a good friend, Lom” the Kid said, worried.  “Who’d you send to her?”</p><p>“Well, that’s another piece of news I was going to let you know.”  Lom paused.</p><p>“What now, Lom?”  Heyes started getting anxious.  “The governor was just joking after all?”</p><p>“No, boys.  It’s about Wheat.”  Lom paused again.</p><p>“What about Wheat?” the Kid asked, concerned.  “He get arrested?”</p><p>“No, he’s no longer with us.”  Lom looked down, but then met the boys’ eyes.</p><p>“He die in a robbery?” Heyes asked.</p><p>“No, from the grippe,” Lom stated.</p><p>“Wheat died from a cold?” the Kid asked, astounded.</p><p>“Kyle said it was the influenza.”  Lom continued.  “He tried to get him to a doctor, but you know Wheat.  Didn’t trust anyone.”  He sighed.  “Kyle was pretty shook up about it.”</p><p>“Yeah, I can imagine,” Heyes looked a bit shaken himself.  “He go back to the Hole?”</p><p>“No, from what he told me, a lot of the boys who were still there left after Wheat died.”</p><p>“Where did Kyle go then?” the Kid asked.</p><p>Lom cleared this throat.  “Well, I couldn’t get ahold of you two at the time, you were up in Montana at the Bar X.”</p><p>The boys looked at each other.  That was not a job that they had relished.</p><p>“We’re here now,” Heyes continued.  “Where is Kyle?”  Heyes paused.  “He never officially had a price on his head, did he?”</p><p>Lom shook his head.  “No, he never had a wanted poster.”</p><p>“Then, Lom,” the Kid asked.  “Where is he?”</p><p>“I sent him to Sidney.”</p><p> </p><p>Rose really was not certain what to make of Kyle Murtry when he showed up on the train from Porterville.  She knew he needed a bath, and insisted that he not chew tobacco when he was in the store, but she did not know if she should feel sorry for him or if she should be afraid of him.  Sheriff Trevors said he had lost his best friend who had always looked out for him, but he wore his gun belt like he had never known a time without it.  He also knew way too much about the properties of dynamite, as evidenced when miners came in for supplies.  Kyle could talk forever about dynamite.  There were times however, when he did not think anyone was noticing, that she saw true sorrow in his face.</p><p>Sheriff Trevors had written her that he was an old friend of Joshua Smith and Thaddeus Jones, and asked if she might have a job for him, if only until he could get on his feet again.  She remembered him vaguely from the days in Cimarron, Colorado, when the Devil’s Hole gang used to ride confidently into town.  In those days, Kyle always had a smile on his face, but then so did Han and Jed.</p><p>It was after she gave him a new set of clothes that she saw him smile for the first time since he arrived in Nebraska.</p><p>“It’s been a while since I’ve had me such nice duds.”  Kyle looked genuinely grateful.  “Might have to keep them for special.”</p><p>“Well.”  Rose paused.  “I thought you might want to use them while you wash the ones you have on right now.”  She waited a beat to see how that message sunk in.</p><p>“Oh.”  He thought a moment and then blushed.  </p><p>“I know I’ve been asking you to do some heavy work, but it would be nice for my customers if my employees are in fairly clean clothes, in case they might need to help one of the ladies who come in for something nice, like some of the yard goods.”  She smiled softly at him.  “Wouldn’t do to get the silks or even calico dirty, if you have to cut a length.”</p><p>“Oh, Miss Rose.”  He looked down and shook his head.  “It might be best if I just help the ranchers load their grain and feed.  I ain’t quite proper enough to be waitin’ on the womenfolk.”</p><p>“But, Kyle.”  Rose did her best to suppress her growing smile.  “What if I’m in the middle of my bookwork and Miss Elliot needs some sprigged muslin to sew before Sunday’s services?”</p><p>“Well.”  He thought for a moment.  “Guess working in this here mercantile in town is a bit different than...”  Their gazes met and he realized she knew exactly what his former line of work had been.  He smiled shyly.  “Well, different than riding the wide open prairie.”</p><p>“Yes, Kyle, it is.”  She waited as he looked to be thinking further.</p><p>“You known the boys, ah, Joshua and Thaddeus, for some time now, haven’t you?”</p><p>“Since we were kids.”</p><p>“You’re the one who ran that store in Colorado, ain’t you?”  Intelligence showed in his eyes.</p><p>“Yes, I was.”</p><p>“I’ll just take these to my room in barn now, if you can spare me for a couple of minutes.”  He finally picked up his bundle of clothes.  Rose nodded.  She let him stay in the old tack room, as she thought he had brought little money with him when he came from Wyoming.  Some of the old biddies in town took exception to that arrangement until she she them straight.</p><p>“Mrs. Hardwell.”  Rosie bit her tongue for a moment, trying to come up with a more polite reply than the one that was roaming around in her head.  She knew the Hardwells were great friends of Thom and his wife and Mrs. Hardwell often bought full bolts of the most expensive fabrics she managed to stock.</p><p>“Now, Miss Rose.”  Mrs. Hardwell shook her head.  “I know you want to be kind to this, well, man, since he’s acquainted with your old friends, but you have to know it doesn’t look proper.”  Her nose was literally up in the air, as if Kyle was still a bit scruffy, as he had been when he arrived in town.  He embraced his new clothes, actually looking rather respectable in the set she bought him for nice events, like the Sunday church picnics.  He had taken to bathing more regularly, even without a direct suggestion from Rose.</p><p>“Ma’am.”  Rose paused again, but not long enough to let the other woman speak first once more.  “He stays out in the barn behind the store here.  That’s farther away from my apartment upstairs than Horace next door.”  Horace Meeker was the local barber.  Kyle used his services often recently, keeping his shaggy hair and face in just a bit better condition.</p><p>“But Mr. Murtry is an eligible man, even if he’s not overly young any more.”</p><p>Rose wanted to laugh, remembering the very dilapidated condition in which Kyle arrived.  She had not been certain if it was because of the recent loss of his friend, or if it had been his habitual appearance.  But then she paused, knowing lately he was looking more than acceptable.  And he had always been a kind man, even during their heyday when she knew them in Colorado.</p><p>“Miss Rose ain’t that kind of woman.”  Neither Rosie nor Mrs. Hardwell had heard Kyle come in from the back room of the store.  Both blushed, but Kyle just shook his head.  “You can tell all the women in town they don’t have to worry.  She ain’t about to take up with a man like me.”</p><p>Rose was about to object, but he didn’t give her a chance.</p><p>“I got that order for Mr. Peterson all boxed up and ready, Miss Rose.”  He looked like he wanted to spit some chew, but as always he had followed her request and did not use it at the store. “I’ll work on the next one for the Maxwell place.”<br/>
“Thanks Kyle.”  Rose watched him as he strode back into the storeroom, and then into the back yard.  It was not the first time he had surprised her with his initiative and insight.  She turned towards Mrs. Hardwell.   “Well?  Are you satisfied?”  She leaned on the counter and gave the townswoman a determined look.</p><p>“I suppose.”  She pursed her lips.  “He’s not really the marrying kind, is he?”</p><p>“No, I don’t think so.”  Rose crossed her arms against her ample chest.  She waited.</p><p>“And you, well.”  Mrs. Hardwell looked chastened, but then rallied and continued.  “You’re busy with the store and really not of an age to marry anymore, are you?”</p><p>Rose counted to ten in her head before she replied, knowing she probably looked older than she was.  “No, probably not,” was all she let out of her mouth.</p><p>“Then I’m sure that’s all for the best.”  Mrs. Hardwell picked up her market basket.  “You have your brother’s children to spoil, in any case.”</p><p>“Yes, I do.”  She smiled at her good customer.  “Well, I’m certain you have supper to start, and I know I have accounts to figure out.”</p><p>“Most definitely.”  Mrs. Hardwell finally turned towards the door.  “See you in church this Sunday.”</p><p>Rose simply nodded as she left.  With the store now quiet and free of customers, she picked up her ledger again.  She was able to get in a good fifteen minutes of cleanup, before she heard footsteps from the back of the store.  Turning, she saw Kyle bringing in a case of canned fruit that she had asked him to restock.  He blushed as he passed her, but didn’t say anything.  She paused in the bookwork she had been doing and gave her new friend a long look.</p><p>He finally turned, feeling her eyes on his back.  </p><p>“Didn’t mean any disrespect, Miss Rose.”  He paused, hitching up his pants, and looked like he wanted to rest his hands on the gun belt that she asked him not to wear in the store, after a few customers gave her a curious look about the type of help she was now employing.  The fact that he still had his six gun on him, just stuck down his back, didn’t bother her.  She figured if he had never blown himself to bits with all the dynamite she knew he had been around, he probably had been around guns enough not to set it off accidentally.  Besides, it did make her feel safer to have another gun around the store, besides her trusty shotgun.  Sidney was not a very wild town, but you never knew who or what might be passing through.</p><p>“No offense taken, Kyle.”  She crossed her arms, waiting, as he looked like he had more to say.</p><p>“I can always finds me another place to stay.”  He cleared his throat.  “If it would help.”</p><p>She shook her head.  “No, I’ve cleared it all up and I’m certain Mrs. Hardwell will disseminate the information around town.”</p><p>He smiled, and she thought, not for the first time, that he had a nice smile, when he wasn’t chewing.</p><p>“You warm enough out there?”  She looked at him innocently, but then glanced away as a blush started across her face.  She was rather annoyed with herself that it had happened.</p><p>His smile became broader, but then he just looked down for a moment, before clearly meeting her gaze again.  “That potbelly stove we set up out there is doing a right fine job.”  He hadn’t pressed further, but hadn’t moved to continue on with his work.</p><p>“I’ll need to go upstairs to start supper soon.  When will you be done with the stocking so you can watch the counter?”  She desperately wanted to regain control of their conversation.  </p><p>“Just give me a few minutes.”  He stretched his back and it showed how lean and muscular he was.  He then laughed.  “Heyes and the Kid would give me grief if they knew how much real work I’ve been doing lately.”</p><p>“I think they’ve done a bit themselves in recent years.”  She decided to smile back.</p><p>“Well, that be true.”  He nodded and then inclined his head towards the stockroom.  “Best be getting going or we’ll never have supper, huh?”  With one more grin he turned and sauntered towards the back.</p><p>Rose took a deep breath and decided she needed to find a new activity to distract her from some unsettling thoughts.  Maybe joining the quilting bees?  No, her hands were too large for such fine work.  She sighed again and refocused on her bookwork.  </p><p> </p><p>Kyle settled well into the quiet life of a store clerk on the plains of Nebraska.  Rose had wondered if he would miss the excitement of being an outlaw, but other than an occasional trip to the saloon on a Saturday night, for a few beers and games of poker, he didn’t seem to miss it.</p><p>“Now, you certain you don’t mind me heading down to the Golden Spur tonight?”  He looked at her again as they were clearing up from the evening meal.</p><p>“Figure a man like you needs some relaxation occasionally.”  She looked honestly at him.  “Don’t imagine you’d be happy with a book, like Han would be.”</p><p>“You got it rightly there, Miss Rose.”  He hitched up his pants as he glanced out the windows of her rooms above the store.</p><p>“Kyle, I think you can just call me Rose.”  She smiled as he lifted the heavy kettle of hot water and sloshed some into her wash basin.</p><p>“Nah, miss.”  He shook his head but wouldn’t meet her gaze.  “Best we keep it formal, so I don’t forget in front of the town ladies.”</p><p>She laughed softly and shook her head.</p><p> </p><p>In the end, he seemed to miss his tabaccy more.  Oh, he minded her rule that he wasn’t to chew while waiting on customers or working in the store, but she knew he indulged occasionally at night in his room, or down at the saloon.  More than once she had to remind him that he needed to brush his teeth before he came into the mercantile for the day.  She wasn’t certain he had ever owned a toothbrush before.</p><p>“I’m that sorry, Miss Rose.”  He shook his head after coming back into the storeroom after going back out to brush his teeth.  “But it does give me some comfort of an evening.”</p><p>“But it’s smelly and messy and doesn’t belong in the store.”  She crossed her arms, feeling a bit harsh for denying him such a little thing compared to what he could be doing.</p><p>A small smile crossed his face.  “Well, it ain’t the only thing that might be true of.”</p><p>She wanted not to smile, but in the end did, and just sighed.  “Just keep it out of the store.”</p><p>“Yes, miss.”</p><p> </p><p>It was a week later that Kyle brought the newspaper to her after he had untied the pack that morning.  The headline said it all.</p><p>“CURRY AND HEYES GRANTED AMNESTY!”</p><p>He waited while she read through the article.</p><p>“Well, I guess I’m that glad for them.”  She looked out the window.</p><p>“They’s been trying for quite a while now.”  He just stood still with his hands hitched in his belt.</p><p>“Aren’t you jealous?”  She met his still gaze.</p><p>“Nah.”  He shook his head.  “I ain’t never had a wanted poster.”</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“No, them banks and the railroads always thought if they took out the leaders, the rest of us would scatter.”</p><p>“And isn’t that what happened?”</p><p>He paused for a moment, but then answered.  “With Wheat gone now, I reckon that’s true.”  A sad look crossed his face, but then it disappeared as he looked back at her and smiled.  “But maybe it’s time for all of us to move on to other things.”</p><p>She returned his look before she continued.  “Any idea what your long term plans might be?”</p><p>He looked startled for a moment, but then shrugged.  “Nah, not really.”  He cleared his throat and hitched up his pants.  “Not to be making decisions best left to you as owner of this fine mercantile, but it seems like you do need help, permanent like.”</p><p>“Probably.”  She paused.  “You have any plans that would keep you from doing that?  Moving on eventually?”</p><p>His eyes caught hers, and as she always suspected there was more intelligence in them than most folks knew.  “Not unless you feel I should.  I’ve been right comfortable here in Sidney.”</p><p>“Well, then.”  She nodded and turned back to her ledger.  “Good help is hard to find.  I’d hate to lose you.”</p><p>He just smiled as he sauntered back to the stockroom.</p><p> </p><p>It was a couple of weeks later that found the boys on a train headed into Sidney.</p><p>“You think Rosie will be mad that we’ve not visited before now?”  The Kid ran his hand through damp curls.  It had been raining and was humid in the car.</p><p>“I’m more worried about how mad she’ll be at us for Lom sending Kyle to her.”  Heyes shook his head.</p><p>“You don’t think Kyle is capable of being a stock boy?”  Curry sounded skeptical.</p><p>“With enough instruction, I’m certain he’d do fine.”  Heyes paused.  “You know as well as I do, sometimes though, he gets an idea in his head, and can be a bit, well, contrary.”</p><p>“That was usually just when you asked him to do something, well, stupid.”  The Kid’s mouth curled into a smile.</p><p>“I never asked any of you to do anything stupid!”  Heyes huffed and crossed his arms.</p><p>“Well, maybe questionable.”</p><p>His partner glared at him, but silence descended for a few minutes.</p><p>“Not certain how he’s going to do without Wheat.”  Heyes locked gazes with his cousin.</p><p>“I’ll agree I’m wondering about that too.”</p><p> </p><p>When they arrived at Sidney, it wasn’t hard to find Rose’s mercantile.  It was the largest in town.</p><p>“This looks like a prosperous place.”  Heyes’ eyes lit up.</p><p>“Just as long as you ain’t looking at the bank.”  Curry smiled when he saw a well-kept looking cafe down the street.</p><p>“Heck, no, Kid.  That would be stupid.”  He fixed his cousin with a glare.  “And I ain’t stupid.”</p><p>“Never said you were, Heyes.”  A big smile crossed his face as they entered the store.  “Kyle!”</p><p>The slight blond man had just finished ringing up an order for one of the local ranchers.  Rose was not in sight.</p><p>“Kid!  Heyes!”  A matching smile crossed his face.  He started out from behind the counter, but remembering Rose’s admonitions to be good to their customers, he turned back for a moment.  “You need any help out, Mr. Graham?”</p><p>“No, I guess I don’t.”  The customer looked like he was wanting to say and hear more of their conversation, after overhearing the names Kyle had exclaimed.</p><p>“You have a safe trip back out to your place then.”  Kyle smiled at him, but was clearly waiting for him to leave.</p><p>As soon as the door closed, there commenced such a loud commotion of back-slapping hugs and hearty greetings that might have been interspersed with a few colorful phrases, that Rose made her way down the stairs from where she had been ensconced trying to figure out an inventory issue.</p><p>“Boys.”  Her voice was flat.  It had an immediate effect on their festivities.</p><p>“Rosie.”  Heyes tried his most endearing voice on her, but she just folded her arms.</p><p>“Now Miss Rose.”  Kyle just grinned at her.  “You gotta be happy the boys finally made their way here.”</p><p>“Rose.”  The Kid simply walked up to her and embraced her until she melted in his arms.  When she suddenly burst out crying, he let go of his tight embrace and held her at arm’s length, to look into her face with great concern.</p><p>Kyle had started towards her, but backed off when Heyes took her from the Kid.</p><p>“Rosie, we would have been her sooner, but since we hoped to stay a while, we had a few places to go first.”</p><p>“Glad you’re here now.”  She gave him a tight hug, but then stepped back.  “Ready for some supper?”</p><p>“Always, Rosie.”  Curry smiled and they all joined in.</p><p> </p><p>“So what are you thinking of doing with yourselves?”  Rose looked from one of the boys to the other.  They were sitting at the dining table still, little remaining of the meal.</p><p>“We aren’t really sure.”  Heyes ran his hand through his long hair.  </p><p>“Never thought we’d really get it.”  Curry took another drink of his coffee.</p><p>“I got a couple of ideas, but we’ll have to talk to Big Mac or Silky first.”  Heyes’ eyes started to shine.  </p><p>“It’ll take all of your skill with your silver tongue to convince one of them to back us.”  The Kid shook his head.</p><p>“What you all want to do?”  Kyle looked genuinely curious.</p><p>“I want to start a new gambling parlor in Denver.”  Heyes’ broad smile showed his enthusiasm.</p><p>“That’ll take a lot of money.”  Rosie crossed her arms across her chest again.</p><p>“Ain’t there already a bunch of gambling places in Denver?”  Thoughts could be seen swirling behind Kyle’s eyes.</p><p>“That’s what I’ve told him.”  The Kid crossed his arms too.</p><p>“But not like the one we’ll have.”  Heyes’ eyes were sparkling.  “Can’t you imagine the number of folks who want to play poker against me?  Or even just have a whiskey with Kid Curry?”</p><p>“You want to be a side show?”  Kyle looked confused.  “I ain’t certain I’d like that.”</p><p>“Or maybe a target for every gunslinger who still wants to make a name for himself.”  The Kid did not look pleased.</p><p>“Well, we’ll have good security.”  Heyes didn’t want to let go of his dream.  “Kyle, maybe we could hire you.”</p><p>The shorter man didn’t reply immediately.  He looked first at Rose.  “Well, Miss Rose here, she’s been thinking she needs a full time stock boy.”</p><p>“You enjoying stocking shelves enough that you’d give up a chance to work at a high class place like I’m proposing?  Ain’t gonna be nothing second rate. You’ll be getting free meals and drinks too.”</p><p>Kyle glanced over towards Rose, but she had her gaze fixed on Heyes.</p><p>“What happens when the newness of your amnesty wears off and you have to compete with all the other saloons in town?”</p><p>“It isn’t gonna be a saloon, Rose.”  Words flowed out of Heyes’ mouth quickly even for him.  “It’s going to be the best entertainment hall.  Dancing, singing.  Once we make some money, we start up a hotel with it.  Then if the gambling declines, we’ll turn that part into a fancy restaurant.  It isn’t going to be a second rate place.  Eventually it’ll become somewhere you can bring your grandma for dinner.”</p><p>“You think you can get enough money for this?”  Rose looked over to the Kid.</p><p>He shrugged.  “Might as well aim for the sky and see what happens.”</p><p>“We were once the best outlaws in the West.  No reason we can’t be the best hoteliers in Denver.”  Heyes paused.  “You’ve told me more than once, Rosie, that you just need to figure out what people will pay money for.  If you can provide that, you can be successful.”</p><p>“True.”  Rosie shook her head.  “But who you gonna get to fund all this?  I surely don’t have that much money.”</p><p>“We’re working on that.”  Heyes still sounded confident.  “That’s why we didn’t come here first.”</p><p>“Did anyone agree?”  She didn’t let it go.</p><p>“Not yet.”  The Kid met her gaze.</p><p>“Sure.  We received a couple of no answers, but we also received a couple of maybes.”  Heyes captured her gaze again.  “You can’t tell me it’s impossible to start from nothing.  You’ve done it more than once.”</p><p>She sighed.  “Well, I guess we best drink to the venture and hope your good luck holds.”  She went to pull a bottle out of her cabinet.  “All I got is brandy up here, but Kyle you head on down and get a bottle of that good bourbon.”</p><p>“That sounds great, Miss Rose.”  </p><p>As Kyle headed down the stairs, Rosie got out four glasses, her face still thoughtful.  Heyes interrupted her musing.</p><p>“I’m serious about taking Kyle with us.”  He looked at the Kid and then back at Rose.  “We want to thank you for taking care of him, but there’s now no need for him to stay.”</p><p>“He’s actually a very good employee.”  Rose looked like she might be blushing, but then swept her hand across her face.  “I don’t know if I could run the store without him now.”</p><p>“Kyle’s good at taking orders.”  The Kid looked from Rose to Heyes.  </p><p>“If you explain them clear enough.”  Heyes looked back at Rose.  “You not had any problems with him?  He seems a mite cleaner than usual.”</p><p>“I’ve given him new clothes, insisted on regular baths, and forbidden his chew in the store.”</p><p>“And he’s agreed to that?”  Heyes seemed surprised.  “Guess that would make him a better employee.”</p><p>“He is.”</p><p>“He’d do well at our new establishment then.”  Heyes nodded like it was a done deal.  “We will be able to pay him better.  He could save some money.  He ain’t young either.”</p><p>“What you been discussing?”  Kyle stood at the top of the stairs with the bottle of whiskey.</p><p>“You coming to work for us.”  Heyes waved him over, ready for a drink, but Rosie took control of the bourbon, and poured a nice but not overly generous shot for each of them.</p><p>“Miss Rose.”  Kyle paused to clear his throat.  “You wanting to get rid of me?”</p><p>“Heck, no.”  She shook her head vehemently.  “You’re the best employee I’ve got.”</p><p>Kyle looked like he might have wanted a different answer, but decided to smile anyway.</p><p>“Why don’t you come to Denver too, Rose?”  The Kid looked at her.</p><p>“Nah, too big for me.”  She shook her head.  “I like it here in Sidney.  I’m by Thom and his family.”</p><p>“Well, let’s toast to our new adventure.”  Heyes smiled.  “We can talk more later.”  He looked confident that he’d convince them of his plans.  The Kid looked from Rose to Kyle and he didn’t appear as convinced.</p><p> </p><p>Heyes and the Kid eventually wandered over to one of the saloons to check out the local poker skills.</p><p>“Come along with us, Kyle.  We’ll buy you a drink and can talk some more about our plans for Denver.”  Heyes had already started down the stairs.</p><p>“Well, maybe just one.”  The short, blond man glanced at Rose who didn’t look overly happy.  “But then I got to be back.  We have Mr. Kennedy from the Bar H coming in the morning and I got to be in shape to haul all that feed.”</p><p>“Seems that Rose has made a fine store clerk out of you.”  Heyes glanced back at her himself and a curious look crossed his face.</p><p>“Well, that may be, but I can’t leave Miss Rose hanging.”  He hitched up his pants and grabbed his hat, waiting for Heyes to head on down.</p><p>“You boys don’t celebrate too much or I’ll have Sheriff Weaver asking me why I have such rambunctious guests.”  Rosie stood to put away the liquor.  </p><p>“Don’t have to worry about sheriffs no more, Rose.”</p><p>“You do if they arrest you for breaking up the saloon.”</p><p>“It’s been years since we’ve done that, Rosie.”  The Kid shook his curls before he settled his hat.  “And it weren’t really ever me, or Heyes, or Kyle.”</p><p>“Well, just behave.”  She crossed her arms.  “I have a reputation to keep here in Sidney.”</p><p>“Yes, ma’am.”  Heyes bowed to her and then hurried down the stairs.  The Kid followed him, glancing up as Kyle held back for a moment.</p><p>“I’ll keep them in line, if need be, Rose.”</p><p>“They’ll listen to you?”</p><p>“Yeah, sure.”  Kyle looked confused but then just touched his hat as he followed the boys.</p><p>“Make certain to close the door tight.”  She called down the stairs as she heard them leave.  After she picked up the glasses and put them in her dry sink, she walked over to the windows and watched them stroll down the street, talking amongst themselves, with Heyes’ hands waving in the air.  She sighed, but then turned to go to bed.</p><p> </p><p>It was a week later that found them all standing on the platform waiting for the Denver bound train to arrive.</p><p>“I’ll be back before harvest season, Miss Rose.”  Kyle looked concerned.  “That’s when you’ll need the most help again.”</p><p>“I’ll be fine, Kyle.”  She crossed her arms as he was about to reach out to her.</p><p>“You’ll always be welcome at our place, Rose.”  Heyes came up and pulled her arms loose to give her a hug.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“Let me get in my hug too, Heyes.”  The whistle of the approaching train could be heard.  After he pulled back, the Kid captured her gaze.  “You let us know if you need anything, won’t you, Rose?”</p><p>“You’ll be busy getting that new business up and going.”  She nodded shortly as he let her go and turned towards the train.  “I’ll be fine.”</p><p>The boys started to move off as the train pulled up.  Kyle took advantage of their momentary focus on other things to reach out and hold Rose’s hand for a moment.</p><p>“I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.”</p><p>She simply nodded.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>